Stamp-affixing machine.



No. 645,297. Patented Mar. |3, I900.

W. R. LANDFEAR.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE. (Application filed Feb, 2 1898.)

(No Model.) 6-Sheats-Shaet l.

. v I DZUQIZZZJI': Wdnpaaew- Ma 1% 111: NORRIS FEl'EILCO nnoruumoq wAsmNuTom n. c.

No. 645,297. Patented Mar. l3, I900.

w. R. LANDFEAB.)

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1898.]

(No Model.)- 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A i w m. R. T& v Z hf k w ALQ E w Patented Mar. l3, I900.

W. B. LANDFEAR. STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE (Application filed. Feb, 21, 1898.\

mum.)

No. 645,297. Patented Mar. I3, I900.

W. R. LANDFEAR.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

' (Application filed Feb. 21, 1898 (No Model.) 6 Sheets8heel 4,

No. 645,297. Patented Mar. l3, I900.

W. R. LANDFEAB.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 21, 1898.)

( Modem 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

771167298696:- Znuenlbr.

Tu: uonrus pnzRs so, mum-Luna wAsmNcwN. n, c,

' Patehted Mar. 13, I900. w. n. .LANDFEAR, STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE (Ap'plicationfiled Feb. 21, 1898.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 6v (No Modql.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

\VILLIAM R. LANDFEAR, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BENJAMIN ADRIANCE, OF SAME PLACE.

STAMP-AFFIX SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ING MACHINE...

Patent No. 645,297, dated March 13, 1900.

Application filed February 21, 1898. Serial No. 671,945. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. LANDFEAR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stamp-Affixing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in stamp-affixing machines, and more particularly relates to improvements in a machine for affixing revenue-stamps toboxes containing cigarettes.

The objects of my invention are to provide a machine of the above character in which means are provided for feeding the boxes one by one into a position to have their surfaces, to which the stamps are to be affixed, moistened, means for feeding the strips of stamps one by one into engagement with the said moistened surfaces of the boxes, and means for severing each stamp from the next succeeding one and firmly pressing it upon the surface of itsparticular box.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a view of the right side of the machine. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section in the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. at is a vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, through the machine in the plane of the line 4 4. of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal view through a portion of' the machine, the said section being taken in the plane of the line 5 5 of Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section in the plane of the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section in the plane of the line 7 7 of Fig. 5.

The supporting-standard of the machine is denoted by A, and it is surmounted by a -table or bed-plate B, which may be secured to the standard in any suitable manner. An upright transverse plate is denoted by O, the base 0 of which rests upon the table B, and the said plate extends from the left-hand side of the table part way across the top of the same.

. The main drive-shaft D of the machine is mounted in the top of the upright plate 0 in an extended bearing a. The end of the said shaft D at the left of the machine projects a short distance beyond its bearing 0 and is there provided with suitable fast and loose pulleys d d. This end of the shaft is also provided with a pulley (1 which is used for driving the endless carrier, to be hereinafter described.

The boxes to which the stamps are to be applied are fed into the machine one by'one from the front in the following manner: An endless carrier, which is here represented as a belt E, passes around a suitable pulley e, mounted in the plate 0, and a second pulley e, mounted in the front ends of apair of forwardly-extended arms 6 e the rear ends of which arms are adjustably secured to forwardly-extended flanges c c of the plate C, as shown at e Beneath the upper portion of the belt E between the pulleys e e, I provide a shelf e which rests upon the arms 6 a A pair of guides e e are secured along the arms e e having their flanges e extended upwardly a short distance above the top of the belt E, the said guides serving to keep the boxes which are being fed to the machine in proper alinement. The shaft of the pulley e at the inner end of the carrier E is provided with a pulley e exterior to the machine, around which passes a drive-belt d which connects the said pulley e with the pulley cl on the main drive-shaft D. A tighteningpulley F is mounted on the plate 0 in adjustable bearings f, which pulley F engages the belt d for adjusting its tension. The plate 0 is provided with a suitable opening 0 to permit the boxes to pass therethrough as they are fed by the endless carrier to a suitable open-ended track G, which extends transversely across the machine at the rear of the plate 0. An adjustable retarding-plate H is secured to the back of the plate 0 in proximity to the opening 0 and the bottom of-the said plate H is inclined'slightly downward from the plate 0 to the track G, the distance between its rear edge and the track being just sufiicient to permit a box to be forced therethrough into position upon the track. An arm I is pivoted between the forwardlyextended flanges 0 0 of the plate 0 on the pivot i a short distance above the endless carrier. The free end of this arm I, is adapted to rest upon the tops of the boxes for preventing the reverse movement of the box after it has been fed beyond the end of the said arm.

The means which I employ for feeding the boxes at the proper intervals one by one onto the track G is as follows: A bracket J is secured to the front of the plate 0, and a rotary shaftj is mounted in suitable bearings therein. Upon one end of the shaftj, beyond the bracket J at the left of the machine, I mount a two-armed rocking lever K, the movement of the lever being independent of the rotary movement of the said shaft. The free end of the upper arm of the said lever K is held in engagement with a cam 62 on the main drive-shaft D by means of a spring is, extended between the said arm andthe plate 0.

The downwardly-extended arm 7& of the said rocking lever is provided at its lower end with a spring-actuated feeding-finger 70 a spring k tending to hold the end of the said finger at all times in engagement with the boxes on the endless carrier. As the lever K is rocked in one direction by the cam d the finger 70 will be caused to engage the side of the most advanced box and force it through the opening a in the plate 0 and through the space beneath the retarding-plate H and onto the track G. As the lever is rocked in the opposite direction the finger Will be caused to return into position to engage the next succeeding box, when the feeding operation will be repeated.

The plate 0 is provided witha guide M, extended rearwardly from its right-hand edge, and within the said guide I mount a vertically-reciprocating plate m. This plate m is reciprocated by the rotation of the main driveshaft D by means of a crank-arm 01 having a suitable connecting-rod m leading therefrom to the said plate m.

The means for gumming the top of the box after it has been fed into its position upon the track is as follows: A gum-trough N is located on the table B to the rear of the track G. A rotary shaft n extends transversely across the top of the said trough,and upon the shaft a gum-rolln is mounted to rotate therewith, the lower portion of which is at all times immersed in the gum within the trough. A gumming-pad carrying bar 77, is provided with a gumming-pad n at its forward end, which pad is caused to alternately engage the surface of the roll n and the surface of the box within the track G by the fol lowing means: The rear end of the bar a is pivoted to the free end of a rocking arm at, pivoted to the table B, and at a point adjacent to the pad n it is pivoted to the upper arm 0 of a rocking lever O, which is mounted on the shaft 72, but not secured thereto. The forwardly'extended arm 0 of this lever O is engaged with the lower end of a bar 0 secured to the reciprocating plate m, hereinabove referred to.

After the boxes have been gummed they are slid along the track into position beneath the stamp-affixing mechanism in the following manner: A two-armed rocking lever P is pivoted at p upon the back of the plate 0. The free end of the laterally-extended arm 19 is engaged by the reciprocating plate m, and the arm 19* of the said lever extends downwardly until its free end is in close proximity to the track G. This arm 19 is provided with a push-plate p hinged to its downwardly extended end, the said push-plate being in position to engage the end of the box which has been fed onto the track from the carrier and force it laterally as the lever is rocked. The end of the arm 19 is also provided with a tailpiece 13 which serves to prevent the boxes being pushed onto the track when the lever P is rocked to feed the boxes along the track from the gummer to the stamp-affixing mechanism.

The box or receptacle Q for receiving the supply of stamps is mounted at the back of the table B and extends rearwardly therefrom. This box or receptacle is provided with a verticallymovable bottom (1, upon which the stack of stamps is placed, preferably in strips of ten stamps ina strip. The bottom q is guided in its upward movement by a two-armed bracket q, in which is mounted the downwardly extended stem 1 of the said movable bottom. A ratchet-wheel g is mounted in the upper arm of the bracket q and has a screw-threaded engagement with the stem g whereby the rotary movement of the said ratchet-wheel will cause the bottom q to move upwardly. The ratchet Q3 is rotated and the table thereby raised to present successive strips of stamps in position to be fed into the machine by the following means: A spring-actuated reciprocating pawl R is mounted at the side of the table B, with its nose 1' in engagement with the said ratchet g and its other end secured to a rocking lever r at a short distance above its pivot W. This lever is engaged by the rocking lever T under the control of the shaft j, which is geared to the main shaft D by gears j (1 the relation between two gears being such that the shaft j rotates once to every ten revolutions of the shaft D. The rocking lever T is pivoted upon the bracket J a short distance to the rear of the shaft j. This lever T is rocked forwardly and backwardly every revolution of the shaft j by providing its upper arm 25 with an elongated slot t, within which a crank-pin 3' carried by a crank 7' works. This crank 7' is in the present instance in the shape of a cam for use in operating the strip-advancing lever, to be hereinafter described. The lever T is provided with a downwardly-extended arm 25 to the lower end of which is hinged the strip-advancing lever U. This arm t is also provided with an outwardly-extended lug or pin t which is adapted to engage the free end of the rocking lever r when the lever T is rocked forwardly, thereby operating the pawl R and raising the bottom q. The

stripadvancing lever U comprises a rearwardly-extended arm Lb and an upwardly and forwardly extended arm a. The rearwardly-extended arm u is provided with a suitable suction -cup 112, which is provided with a tube u ,leading to any suitable air-exhaust device. (Not shown.) This suctioncnp a is swung into and out of engagement with the top strip of stamps once every revolution of the shaftj or ten revolutions of the drive-shaft'D by the cam 7' engaging the arm u of the said strip-advancing lever U. The suction-cup rearwardly-extended arm u is held away from engagement with the strip as the lever T is rocked rearwardly until the lever comes to nearly the limit of its rearward movement, when the suction-cup is permitted to rapidly descend into engagement with the strip, and as the lever T is started on its forward movement the said suctioncup is immediately raised, carrying with it the top strip of stamps. As the lever T is rocked forward the limit of its forward movement the suction-cup will carry the strip of stamps forwardly until the front stamp is en gaged by the strip-paper-feeding rolls, to be hereinafter described. The means which I have shown for holding the rearWardly-extended arm it raised until the proper time to permit it to fall consists of an idler-roller 1L4, carried on the axle of the upper feedingroll, the said arm to being provided with a out-away or inclined portion u The feeding-rolls between which the strips of stamps are fed are denoted by S S. The top feeding-roll S has a geared connection with the feeding-roll S by means of gears s s. The roll S is mounted to rotate on the gum-roll shaft n in stationary bearings and is provided with a ratchet-wheel s on its inner face, which ratchet-wheel is engaged by a pawl 5 This pawl is hinged to the rocking arm a, whereby the forward and back movement of the said arm caused by the operation of the mechanism will cause the pawl to rotate the roll S one step forwardly. Each of these step-by-step movements of the roll S will advance the strip of stamps the distance of one stamp toward the boxes to which the stamps are to be applied. As the feedroll S and the gumming-roll n are mounted to rotate on the same shaft '21, when the pawl s is operated to rotate the feed-roll S the said gumming-roll is also rotated, thereby bringing a fresh surface for the gummingpad to engage. The feeding-roll S is mounted in the free end of a swinging arm 5 hinged to a stationary support 3 This roll S is caused to press against the roll S so as to positively feed the strip of stamps by means of a spring .9

An auxiliary table V leads from the stampbox Q to the track G. This auxiliary table serves to lead the strip between the rollers S S and from them to the said track.

To hold the strips from wrinkling or curl- .the presser-foot.

ing up, spring-actuated presser-guides o o are provided on the table V, leading from the feed-rolls to the track. These guides are connected by a cross-piece '0 upon which rests a spring-actuated rod '0 the tension of the said rod being adjustable. The pressure exerted by the rod o is adjusted by raising and lowering the top bracket 0 so as to increase and decrease its distance from a collar 12 of the rod o between which collar and bracket is interposed the yielding spring u As the stamps are fed beyond the end of the auxiliary table V the advance stamp is separated and pressed upon the advance box in the track G as follows: The reciprocating plate m is provided with a presser-foot W, the bottom face of which is preferably provided with a yielding pad 10. Along the rear face of this presser-foot a knife to is provided, which knife is in position to sever the advance stamp from the next succeeding one when the presser-foot is brought down upon the box. This downward movement of the presser-foot also causes it to press the stamp firmly onto the gummed portion of the box.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The boxes are laid along in order upon the endless carrier, and from thence the advance box is fed beneath the retarding-plate H onto the track G. This box is then gummed and slid along the track into position beneath The next succeeding box is then fed onto the track to the rear of the advance box. The stamps are then fed until the advance stamp is in position between the presser-foot and the advance box. The stamp is then severed and applied to the gummed portion of the box by the downward movement of the severing-knife and presser-foot. As the next succeeding box is advanced in position to be stamped it will force the stamped box out of the machine into any suitable receptacle. (Not shown.)

In the present instance the stamps are supposed to be out in strips of ten in a strip, and the relation between the drive-shaft D and the auxiliary shaftj is such that a new strip of stamps is engaged and fed to the feeding rolls just as the last stamp of the preceding strip has left the said rolls. By this arrangement a continuous operation of feeding and gumming the box and feeding, severing, and applying the stamps is performed.

That I claim is- 1. In astamp-aflixing machine, a drive-shaft and mechanism under the control of the driveshaft; for feeding the boxes into the machine; for applying gum to the boxes; for advancing the boxes laterally into position adjacent to the stamp-feeding mechanism; for feeding stamps into the positions over the gummed portions of the boxes and for applying the stamps to the boxes, substantially as set forth.

2. In a stam p-affixin g machine, a drive-shaft and mechanism under the control of the driveshaft for feeding the boxes into the machine, for applying gum to the boxes, for advancing the boxes laterally into position adjacent to the stamp -feeding mechanism, for feeding stamps into position over the gummed portions of the boxes, for applying the stamps to the boxes and for removing the stamped boxes from the machine, substantially as set forth.

3. In astamp-affixin g machine, a drive-shaft and mechanism under the control of the driveshaft comprising means for feeding the boxes into the machine, a gumming mechanism, means forfeedin g the boxes one by one thereto, a stamp-feeding mechanism, means for advancing the boxes laterally from the gum ming mechanism to the stamp-feeding mechanism and means for aflixing the stamps to the boxes, substantially as set forth.

4. In a stamp-affixin g machine, a drive shaft and mechanism under the control of the driveshaft comprising means for feeding the boxes into the machine, a gumming mechanism, means for feeding the boxes one byone thereto, mechanism for feeding strips of stamps, m cans for advancing the boxes laterally from the guinming mechanism to the stamp-strip-feed ing mechanism and means for severing the advance stamp from the strip and applying it to the advance box, substantially as set forth.

5. In astamp-affixing machine,adrive-shaft, an auxiliary shaft driven thereby and mech anism for feeding strips of stamps of the machine comprising a rocking lever having one arm connected to the said auxiliary shaft, a second lever hinged to the other arm of the first-named lever, a suction device carried by the rearwardly-extended arm of the secondnamed lever and a cam carried by the auxiliary shaft in position to engage the other arm of the second-named lever for causing the suction device to engage and disengage strips of stamps, substantially as set forth.

6. In a stamp affixing machine,a main driveshaft, an auxiliary shaft driven thereby and stam p-feedin g mechanism comprising a rocking lever having one arm and connected with the shaft whereby the lever is rocked, a second lever hinged to the free end of the other arm of the first-named lever, a suction device carried by the rearWardly-extended arm of the second-named lever, a cam carried by the auxiliary shaft in position to engage the forwardly-extended arm of the second-named lever and a support along which the rearwardlyextended arm travels as the firstnamed lever is rocked, the said support permitting the rearwardly-extended arm of the second-named lever to cause its suction device to engage the strip of stamps to be fed only at the limit of the rearward movement of the said arm, substantially as set forth.

7. In a stamp-affixing machine, a driving mechanism, a carrier for conveying the boxes into the machine, a track to the rear of the carrier and independent means under the control of the driving mechanism for feeding the boxes from the carrier onto the track one by one, substantially as set forth.

8. In a stamp-affixing m achine,a drive-shaft, a carrier for conveying the boxes into the machine, a track to the rear of the carrier and means for feeding the boxes from the carrier onto the track one byone comprising a rocking lever operated by the shaft, a spring-actuated feeding-finger carried by the lever in position to engage the advance box and force it positively onto the track as the lever is operated, substantially as set forth.

9. In a stamp-affixin g machine,a drive-shaft, a carrier forconveying the boxes into the ma chine, a track to the rear of the carrier, means for feeding the boxes one by one from the carrier onto the track comprising a rocking lever operated by the drive-shaft, a spring-actuated feed-finger carried by the lever in position to engage the advance box and force it positively onto the track and a detent arranged in position to present one box at a time to the feeding-finger and prevent the rearward movement of the said box as the finger is drawn back in position to engage the same, substantially as set forth.

10. In a stamp-affixing machine, a driveshaft, a vertically-reciprocating plate operated thereby, a go mmin g mechanism under the control of the said plate comprisinga gumtrough, a gum-roll therein, a rocking arm hinged to the rear of the gum-trough, a rocking lever mounted on the gum-roll shaft and connected to the plate and a gum-pad-carrying bar secured to said rocking arm and rocking lever, substantially as set forth.

11. In a stamp-affixing machine, a driveshaft, a track, means for feeding boxes onto the track, and means for sliding the boxes along the track to the stamp-affixing mechanism, comprising a rocking lever having a push-plate for engaging the boxes and a tailpiece for preventing the further feeding of boxes onto the track as the boxes are being slid along the same, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of February, 1898.

\ VILLIAM R. LANDFEAR.

Witnesses:

FREDK. 'HAYNEs, O. S. SUNDGREN. 

